Rita Gurevich, founder and CEO of SPHERE, recently spoke at the CBS Small Business Breakfast on June 10 in Mahwah. Addressing a large audience, Rita offered valuable advice on messaging, hiring, and the advantages of being nimble in the business world.
The Panel Discussion
Moderated by Joe Connolly, known for his CBS-Bloomberg Business Reports, the panel included esteemed professionals such as Seth Pinsky, executive vice-president at RXR Realty; Isaac Oates, founder and CEO of Justworks; Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via; and Michael A. Mason, Senior VP at Verizon, who served as the moderator.
Insights from Rita Gurevich
Rita introduced SPHERE to the audience, explaining the company's role in the data security sector. "We help companies ensure that breaches don’t happen and that they have the right controls internally," she said. She emphasized the importance of staying ahead of both cyber threats and unintentional employee errors, which can be a creative process despite the technical nature of data security.
Creative Marketing Strategies
Rita highlighted SPHERE's innovative marketing strategies, such as the "data janitors" campaign, where staff dressed up as janitors to emphasize their role in cleaning up data messes. This creative approach not only stood out but also resonated with customers and expanded SPHERE’s reach across various industries.
Importance of Hiring the Right Talent
Rita discussed the significance of hiring the right professionals, especially in creative and marketing roles, to overcome her own quantitative background limitations. She stressed the value of tools like social media platforms and Marketo to understand and reach the target audience effectively.
Competing with Larger Companies
Rita encouraged small businesses to view competition with larger companies positively. "You can implement great ideas faster than big companies, which often have more bureaucratic processes," she noted. She also advised focusing on hiring Millennials directly out of school, appreciating their quick learning abilities and tech-savviness.
Effective Communication
Sharing her journey as a young woman in a male-dominated industry, Rita emphasized the importance of clear and simple communication. Initially, she felt the need to use complex language to sound knowledgeable, but over time, she realized that simplicity in messaging was more effective for customer understanding.
Closing Thoughts
Rita’s participation in the panel provided attendees with practical insights and strategies for navigating the business world. Her experiences at SPHERE underscore the importance of creativity, effective communication, and agility in achieving success.
For more information about SPHERE and Rita Gurevich’s entrepreneurial journey, visit SPHERE.
